reynolds



(No Model.)

G. H. REYNOLDS.

DYNAMITB GUN AND APPLIANGE POB. OPERATING.

Patented Feb.11,1890.

einen starre einem ,Wmo

GEORGE u. 'nErNoLns-or New Youn, N. Y.

DYNMBTE=GUN AN APPLJNC FR PEATENG SEECHICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 421,310, dated ebruary 1l., 1890i.

Application iiled April 6, 1889.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it' known that I, GEORGE Il. REYNOLDS, of the city and county of NewYork, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic Cantions, and may. serve with other gases thanatmospheric air, and the gas may be produced by other means thanmechanical compression.

'lhe objects sought are simplicity and'economy of construction, andconvenience, certainty, safety, and effectiveness of operation2 I do notconfine myself to the, exact form and arrangement of parts shown in thedrawposition, to receive the ings, as I may arrange the various .part-sin a different way to suit their situations. v I have .here shown thegun as placed' in the bow of the vessel and arranged to tire belowwater, as well as above water, and have 4shown the magazine forcontaining the projectiles in the rear of the gun; but I may omit' thefiring of the gun underwater and remove it suiiiciently back from thebow to pnt the magazine in front of the gun and load from toward themuzzle; Indeed, this is the arrangement which I have carried out intheUnited States cruiser Vesuvius;

One part of my invention relates to the peculiar arrangement of barrel,the breech por-` tion being hinged near the breech end in such a way asto be capable, when in its lowest projectiles from` thc magazine, andmay in t iat position'be discharged point-blank through a muzzle whichprojects through vthe bow of the vessel at this point; or I may .at willraise this movable j part of the barrel by turning itl upward, so

which 1s above water.

as to be in line with anotherl muzzle portion Another part oftheinvention relates to the peculiar forni of' magazine winch I hereeln- 4ploy. In. guns of this character the projectiles are of greatlength and weight-sayn projectile et sufficient capacity to carry six1und1-ed pounds of dynamite will be about Serial No. 306,176. (Nomodel.)

twelve feet long and ilfteen inches diameter, and will weigl1,wl1enloaded, about one thousand pounds.` It is impracticable to store andhandle such proj cctiles by hand on board ships in any considerableheavy sea. 'lhat- I may handle such projectiles with perfect safety., nomatter how much the ship may be rolling, I have inventedthis magazine.

Another part of this invention relates to the meansfor turning themagazine into such exact position and holding .it there as shall bringthe projectile to be loaded in an exact line 1with the barrel.

Wha-t I consider the-best-means ,pf carrying out -th'e invention arefully described below and are shown in the accompanying draw ings,forming partof'this specification.

There is one sheet of drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section-ot the vessel. It represents instrong lines the gun in its' horizontal and also vin dotted lines in itselevated position, together with its two xed muzzles, also the magazinefor contain? ing fthe projectiles, the hydraulic motor for turning themagazine, also the loading-ram and receiver forthe projectiles, allshown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the vessel,showing plan view of the sameparts; and Fig. 3 is across-'section of thevessel with an end view of magazine.

Similar letters of reference indicate ,corresponding parts in all thefigures where they occur.. l f The barrel and muzzle may be made of anysuitable material having suicient strength to resist the pressure of airto be `the gun. .While in trainingv any gun it. is

-quite important to be able-to place it in exact posit-ion, it is anecessity'in vthis invention. The revolving magazine must be moved withgreat precision and steadiness and must start and stop without shock. Iemploy a motor having many cylinders and connected to the magazine bymeans of a worm-wheel and worm and use liquid pressure to actuate themotor. By this combination thus worked I am enabled to attain the endssought.v On

account of the great weight of the' projectiles to be thrown I usemotive power both for `Vplacing them in the magazine and for trans- Aferring them from `the magazine successively vinto the gun-barrel. Iarrange in the rear of the magazine a receiving-trough, int which theprojectiles are first placed. The trough at the breech E.

l go

has a slot in the bottom dividing-its front end completely in two,through which an arm from the ram can pass while pushing the projectiles into the magazine. Each chamber of the magazine is alsoprovided with a slot or division extending the entire length of themagazine, through which the, same arm can move in loading the projectileinto the barrel.

Referring to the drawings and'to thc letters of reference markedthereon, A is the hull of the ship; B, a fixed muzzle for the cannonsetin the ship in a fixed position, and C a fixed muzzle s et in theship in another posifv tion, the latter, as shown, being below the wa'.-ter-line and eguippedwith ordinary or any suitableprovisionsC forexcluding the water and allowing the discharge of the projectile."

I prefer for this latter the means set forth in the patent to JohnEricsson, dated May 7,' 1878No. 203,435. It will be understood that thelvalve and the perforable watertight fabric of Ericsson are in thisinvention simply applied to the innerv end of the lower muzzlev C,instead of to the forward or outer end of the gun, as in Ericssonspatent. Such a substitution will involve no difficulty and will requireno further description.

. D is my barrel. It is hinged on trunnions i B* is a stop fixed on themuzzle. B in 'the position toarrest the elevation of thegun inexplosives.

lO O, dsc., are a setof cylinders and pis tons constituting amultiple-cylinder hydraulic motor, controlled by the attendant by meansof any suitable valve connected to an elevated tank of water or to a Lsupply of water undcrpressnrein any convenient part of the ship. (Notshown.) This motor O gives motion at will to a 'shaft l, carrying a worml, whiclrcngagesa worm-wheel Mil on theshaft. M. The arrangement4renders it practi'cable to revolve the magazine and larrest it' exactlyinline with the barrel D when the latter is depressed. V

Q is a ram operated at will by Water acting in the long cylindercontrolled by the attendant and serving todraw lup the rod R or allowits depression with the corresponding elevation and depression of. thebarrel D, turn'- ing on its trunnions E.

\ T is a ram, operated alsoat will by the at@ tendant forcing out anddrawing in therod IT, carrying an .arm U,which .-is adapted totraverseat will any slot m in the magazine M, which is brought in linewith its' motion,

land also to similarly traverse at will a slot s in the bottom of atrough S, arranged in rear of the magazine. To change the magazine, theprojectiles W are placed one by one in the trough S, and the magazinebeing partially rotated between each operation the projectiles are bythe reciproeations of the ram U 'l acted on by the arm U and forcedendwise into the proper chambers m of the magazine. To charge the barrelv.from themagazine, the latter is brought into position with one of thechambers on in line with the barrel D, the latter being in the depressedposition shown in strong lines in Fig. 1, and

the breech of the cannon being openedthe projectile is forced into thebarrel D by afurther movement thanv before of the arm U. Then, thebreech of the barrel being closed,

vthe gun is ready foriring, either in the same position in which it hasbeen loaded, thus tiring through the lower fixed muzzle C and sendingout the projectile under water, or in the elevated position to which itmay be raised by the ram Q R bringing it, into line with the uppermuzzleB, in which case the projectile will be discharged higher and with acorrespondingly-elevated inclination. The. systemof reservoirsl forcompressed. air andthe provisions 'for bringing a high pressure` to bearwith great force on the' projectile or on a separate piston introducedbehind it may -be of any ordinary or suitable character. Z

shows a. handle to be operated by the attendant for effecting suchoperation.

Modifications can be made without depart- I ing from the principle orsacrificing the ad-v'- vantages of the invention. I can use a. greateror less ,number of chambers m and slots m'. I can use any approved typeof breechblock for opening and closing the rear end of `the movablebarrel D. v I can, use any type of iring-yalve,' and can operate thelatter. 'by

l any arrangement of, anxilia'ryvalve or valves.

I` can use means analogous to C' for excluding water from the uppermuzzle B when working in a heavy sea.

I claim as myinvention-` l. In a pneumatic gun, the barrel D, turn;

ing on hollow trunnions E'near .the breech,

having provisions for receiving compressed air therethrough,incombinaiion with two lnuzzles Band C,'fixed at different elevationsand arranged in divergent lines registering with such barrel, allsubstantially as herein specified. A

2. The two fixed muzzles B and C and stops B* Yarranged as shown, incombination with each other and with the barrel D, mounted on trunnionsE, with provision for receiving compressed airthrough the latter,adapted to allow the barrel to be forcibly elevated and held by the stopD* in line with the muzzle I3, and to be afterward depressed and held bythe stop C* in line with the muzzle C, the barrel registering with themuzzle in such position, all substantially as herein specified.

3. The barrel D, turning on trunnions E, through which compressed air isreceived, in

- combination with the ram Q R, arranged to control such turning motion,and withA two fixed muzzles B and C, arranged in divergent lilies,adapted for joint operation, substan tially as herein specified. 'i

4. rPhe magazine M, having 'chambers m and slot-s m', mounted withliberty to berevolved, in combination with the barrel D, turning onhollow trunnions E, having connections for supplying compressed air toimpel the projectile, and withtwo fixed muzzles arranged in divergentlines, all as herein specified. Y 5. The cartridge-holding trough S, incom'- bination with the revolving magazine M, having chambers m, andwiththe barrel D, turning 011 hollow trunnions E, with connections forreceiving compressed air, and with two fixed muzzles B and C set indivergent lines, all substantially as herein specified.

6. The ram T U, having an arm U', in combinatlon with the magazine M,having cham'- bers mand slots m', and with the trough S, having a slots, and with the barrel D, turn# ing 'on trunnions E, Vthrough whichcompressed air is received, ar'anged to allow the projectile to beforced by the yram from the trough into the magazine, and afterward by afurther movement of the ram into the bary rel, all substantiallyashcrein specified.

7. The nmltiple-cylinder motor O, with pro- S. In a ship A, the twofixed muzzles B and C, arranged in the hull in divergentlines, one belowthe wafcnline, provisions C for temporarily excluding water and allowingthe passage of a `projectile through the lower muzzle, and a movablebarrel D, adapted toI register with either muzzle, the barrel turning ontrunnions E, with provisions for supplying compressed air therethrough,arranged to allow the proj ectilev to be discharged through eithermuzzle at will, as herein specified.

9. The barrel D, turning on hollow trunnions E near the breech, withprovisions for supplying compressed air through such trunnions toactuate the firing mechanism at will and impel the projectile, incombination with an elevating mechanism Q R for effecting the turningmovement, two fixed muzzles 15 C, with their stops B* 0*, either ofwhich may be yused at` will, 'a charging-ram T U', and suitableprovisions, as the trough S and revolving magazine M m, for holding andguiding the projectiles in being charged successively into the barrel tobe discharged through one of the muzzles, as herein specified.

In testimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at

scribing witnesses, i

\ f GEO. H. ,REYNOLDS `Witnessesz A (JHAs. F. BARTER.,

CHARLES R. SEARLE.

ew York city aforesaid, this 2d day of April, 1889, in the presence oftwo sub I

